Harem Daily Life

After returning from Changchun Palace, Tao Yanyan became more and more angry. He Linzhang left the palace quietly without revealing any of his whereabouts. Now he didn't even come back for the New Year. Who wouldn't be angry?

The next morning, she packed up and took her people to He Linzhang's courtyard. She wanted to ask him in person whether he still wanted these family members.

Shuang'er led the way, but unexpectedly, when they arrived at the door, only a gatekeeper came out, and there was no sign of human life inside.

Shuang'er was also dumbfounded. The last time she revealed the news to General Gu, General Gu didn't say that His Majesty had moved?

"Are you sure this is the place?" Tao Yanyan asked, pointing to the uninhabited courtyard.

Shuang'er scratched her head and nodded: "It's here, I remember it clearly."

The gatekeeper stepped forward respectfully and said, "Sir, my master has already moved out. Please go back."

Tao Yanyan closed his eyes and asked, "Where did he move to?"

The servant was clueless when asked: "I am just a gatekeeper, I don't know the whereabouts of my master."

Tao Yanyan was extremely disappointed: "Okay, that's fine. Since you don't want to see me, then don't see me in this life!" Tao Yanyan was also extremely angry, and his words were full of personal grudges.

The group returned to the palace, and Tao Yanyan went to the imperial study with an expressionless face to deal with the final work for this year. Qingfeng and Shuang'er dared not breathe, as it was their first time working for the Empress, and they felt very cautious.

The Minister of Revenue presented this year's financial accounts. Tao Yanyan frowned after hearing the large figures. "Based on past experience, disaster relief funds must be set aside every year to avoid having to scrape together funds from here and there when there's no budget the following year. The budget for repairing various facilities should be checked with the Ministry of Works first to see what they have planned to start. Follow their plan and set aside a little more. The same goes for the budgets of other ministries. They'll give you a plan first, and you'll estimate whether it will be approved or not. You should leave a little wiggle room on top of their plan."

Lord Yuan from the Ministry of Revenue hurriedly said, "Yes, I will go back and check it again and report back." He did not expect that the Queen Mother would look at it so carefully, not just looking at the big picture, but grasping several details.

"No need. Just follow my instructions and do your best. I'm busy with the New Year holidays, so I won't go into detail." After saying that, she glanced at Master Yuan and asked, "Your Majesty is recuperating outside the palace. Where will the funds for his food, clothing, and other expenses come from?"

Tao Yanyan has already checked and found that His Majesty's private treasury has not been used, so all his expenses must have come from other sources.

Lord Yuan said, "Before Your Majesty left the palace, he asked me to open an account at the Silver Bank and deposit ten thousand taels of silver into it every month."

Tao Yanyan raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "This is against the rules. Shouldn't the use of the treasury's money be approved by me before it can be used?"

Master Yuan: "..."

"This... was personally instructed by His Majesty, so I..."

"Sir Yuan, I am in charge of government affairs now. I know the whereabouts of every ounce of silver that goes out of the national treasury, and I have to approve everything." Tao Yanyan interrupted Sir Yuan's explanation and said coldly.

"Yes, it should be so, but that is His Majesty..."

Tao Yanyan waved her hand. "Now that you've already done it, I can't say anything more. But isn't this amount a bit too much? How many people did he bring with him? Where did they live? What was his standard of food, clothing, and daily expenses? Was the 10,000 taels his full monthly expenditure, or did he embezzle it somewhere else? You don't know anything, do you?"

Lord Yuan swallowed hard, "I truly don't know. Your Majesty didn't tell me the number of people you brought with you or where you lived, so I can't tell if it's enough, or if there's a surplus. However, Your Majesty, your previous expenses at the palace were around ten thousand taels a month."

Tao Yanyan said seriously, "In the palace, when he wants to reward people, there are standards for food and clothing. If all of this is spent, without the expenses for rewards, how can it be the same?"

Qingfeng stood aside, shivered, and had a bad feeling.

As expected, Tao Yanyan said, "How about this? Just deduct the monthly amount based on the fact that he is missing out on rewards."

Lord Yuan's calves were trembling: "Your Majesty, you must not do this. How dare I touch the expenses set by Your Majesty? Anyway, the treasury is full now, so ten thousand taels is ten thousand taels. Your Majesty, please be merciful and don't make it difficult for Your Majesty!" Lord Yuan felt a chill on his neck for having offended the emperor, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Tao Yanyan glared at him and said, "With me backing you up, what are you afraid of? Next time you go to the silver shop to deposit money, spread the word that I've cut the amount. If Your Majesty is dissatisfied, just come and find me."

Master Yuan swallowed hard. "Then, how much should be cut off? Please advise, Her Majesty." Master Yuan had given up struggling. He finally understood that the Queen was in conflict with His Majesty. Just like the mistress of the house, she was going to control her husband's food, clothing, and expenses.

He glanced at the Empress, thinking that she only grasped the approximate value of large sums, but was very particular about the small amount of ten thousand taels. If I say there is no personal grudge here, Lord Yuan will not believe it.

"Well, then I'll just cut off 3,000 taels first and save him 7,000 taels every month."

Tao Yanyan went to see the small courtyard today. There were at most twenty or thirty people living there. According to His Majesty's highest living standard, seven thousand taels of silver a month for twenty or thirty people was neither too much nor too little, just enough.

Lord Yuan had no choice but to accept the order and go to do the job. When he went to deposit the silver, he also wrote a letter of explanation to prevent His Majesty from blaming him for this matter.

As for He Linzhang, although he was outside the palace and had no relatives around him, he still wanted to celebrate the New Year well. He ordered people to get silver and prepare for the New Year, but he didn't expect that he only got 7,000 taels this time.

"Why is it decreasing?" He Linzhang was puzzled.

The subordinate presented He Linzhang with Mr. Yuan's handwritten letter. When he opened it, he almost laughed out of anger.

He didn't expect that his little queen was angry and cut his spending by three thousand taels.

Ying Er coughed lightly and said, "Your Majesty, would you like me to return to the palace and explain things to Her Majesty?"

He Linzhang chuckled. "Why explain to her? The amount she set is just enough for our monthly expenses, not a penny more or less. My queen is very sensitive about numbers and won't give us a penny more."

Ying Er didn't say anything else. It didn't matter if the money was less. Anyway, there was still a surplus every month.

Tao Yanyan was waiting for He Linzhang to send someone to question her so that she could find out his whereabouts. However, she didn't expect that no one came after waiting for two or three days. She became more and more angry, thinking that He Linzhang had cut off even the basic communication with her.

"Hmph, if I had known earlier, I would have only approved 5,000 taels for him, making it difficult for him to move an inch outside." Tao Yanyan muttered.

Qingfeng brought a cup of tea and said, "Your Majesty may be hard-mouthed but soft-hearted. In fact, Your Majesty is reluctant to see Your Majesty suffer without money outside."

Tao Yanyan glared at her and said, "That's out of my kindness, not because I can't bear to part with him."

Qingfeng advised, "Your Majesty simply doesn't want to see the Empress in his current state. Once the poison is cured, perhaps he will happily return to the palace to meet the Empress."

Tao Yanyan sighed: "If you want to detoxify, you need an antidote. Who knows when the antidote will come?"

Tao Yanyan is really at his wit's end now.